Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cartridge detachably attachable to a device main body, and an image forming apparatus to which the cartridge is attached/detached.
Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-240661, there is one in which a protection member can be positioned to a device main body, the protection member cannot be pulled out of the device main body during mount of the cartridge, and an engaging portion of the protection member is cancelled after mount of the cartridge and the protection member can be removed. This system can prevent the protection member from falling during insertion of the cartridge.
Further, this system employs a configuration in which a guide rail (support portion) is provided in the protection member, and a rib of the process cartridge is moved on the guide rail. Therefore, the protection member serves as a guide at the time of insertion of the process cartridge, and also prevents the falling.
Meanwhile, downsizing and space saving are desired for the process cartridge and the protection member in terms of downsizing a device main body and distribution of the process cartridge. Further, if the protection member is increased in size, the material is increased. Therefore, the downsizing of the protection member is advantageous to environmental issues.
However, if a configuration in which a central portion of the guide rail in a longitudinal direction is disconnected is produced in order to decrease sliding resistance caused when the process cartridge is moved along the guide rail of the protection member, the following problem may be caused. That is, when a configuration of a protection member having a U-shape like FIG. 2 of the present application is further applied in terms of downsizing and space saving of the cartridge, the protection member has no bottom surface and thus falls, and the process cartridge may not be able to be used.